The Navigation allows users to control the movement and input of the
mobile device. All phones have a varied form of the classic numeric keypad
for dialing phone numbers and basic text entry. However additional controls
allow for quicker and more efficient menu navigation or advanced text input
such as:
5-Way Keypad - The most common type, the directional keypad allows
users to press Up, Down, Left, Right, and Center Select keys. The most sturdy
and classic of the Navigation options, the 5-Way Keypad is often the most reliable.
5-Way Joystick - The 5-Way Joystick functions much the same as
the 5-Way Keypad, except rather than pressing Up, Down, Left, or Right,
the user instead tilts the joystick in the desired direction, offering more
range of motion. Center Select is still offered by pressing the joystick
in. The 5-Way Joystick offers more flexibility for gaming.
QWERTY Keypad - Featuring a keyboard layout, the QWERTY Keypad
is ideal for text messaging. Rather than using the numeric keypad and predictive
text technology, the QWERTY Keypad allows users to type faster rather than
multiple key presses needed on numeric keypads. Often devices that feature
a QWERTY Keypad are bulkier in size and opens horizontally for a wider layout.
Trackball - A Trackball consists of a ball housed in a socket
containing sensors to detect the rotation of the ball about two axes. The
user rolls the ball with the thumb to move in any direction offering one
of the most versatile options of all the navigation methods.
Trackwheel - A Trackwheel is a disc used for scrolling with center
press function, similar to a scroll wheel found on a computer mouse. Often
used in BlackBerry devices, the Trackwheel provides a quick and convenient
way of scrolling through menu items, speeding up with a quick flick of the
thumb, or more precise navigation with more controlled slower speeds.
Touch Screen - Present on some PDAs, the Touch Screen often uses
handwriting recognition to input characters. Arguably more efficient than
text messaging on a numeric keypad, the Touch Screen has the added benefit
of flexible menu navigation by tapping with a stylus rather than scrolling
with a keypad.
|